A Timeout and Regroup....Caprock Canyons St. Pk.

When I last left you all,  I had arrived  at Caprock  Canyons....a place I visited in 2011, only then it was a day trip, while I camped at Palo Duro...I always wanted to camp in the Canyons and when my Window Closed at making it to Taos by Tuesday, or Wednesday...the Canyons window opened up ...isn't life great.....

(c)2014 Horst Kelly Photographer

Without trying to get into great of depth of my fondness of the Park, let me provide a short History lesson of the Canyons.


"Just a few miles north of Quitaque (KIT uh kwa ), Texas is one of the best and most underutilized state parks in Texas.  That park is Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway.
It has a lot of Texas Panhandle wildlife, wide open spaces and great hiking trails. 
 It is also home to the Official Bison Herd of the State of Texas.  The bison are descendants of the Charles Goodnight herd. 


(2014)Horst Kelly photographer

 
The Goodnight herd was one of five foundation herds that supplied stock to save American bison from extinction and represents the last of the southern plains bison herd.  You will not find these bison penned up in a small corral.  They roam most of the park in free range as they did for hundreds of years.  So you need to watch out for them! You can take their picture but always remain at least 50 yards away from them at all times. 
The park also has over 90 miles of hiking, mountain bike and equestrian trails.
Also in the park is Lake Theo, a small lake, (130 surface acres when full.) and like most panhandle lakes the water level varies with the rain fall available.  When I was there (September 2012) it was pretty low but there were still people fishing.
Then there is the Trailway.  The trailway is adjacent to the main park. Created from an abandon railroad right of way the 64 mile mountain bike trail runs from Estelline to South Plains, Texas.  It has 40 bridges and trestles, and a 700 feet long tunnel.  The "Clarity Tunnel" is home to a colony of Mexican free-tailed bats.
The sunrise and sunset views across the caprock can be awe inspiring.  Every evening find a spot and just soak in the view."


(c)Horst Kelly Photographer

There you have a short version of the park...I enjoyed it more than I did Palo Duro....BTW Charles Goodnight and Spouse are very famous in Texas...a good read if you have time and desire!...The weather got up to the low 90's, but the lows where in the high 60's .....which made early morning a great time to go exploring...numerous trails....it was a very relaxing time....did come across a young couple who had been on a hike, got lost and ended up about 5 miles from their "Trail Head".....crammed them in my car and off we went to find there's....

(c)2014Horst Kelly Photographer

The nights are specular...the sky opens up and invites you to go "star gazing" until the "weee"  hours of the morning....too lazy to attempt any star photography...


(c)2014Horst Kelly photographer



(c2014Horst Kelly Photographer

So now its the 19th(Tuesday) and where do I head to...decision was Clayton N.M...they have a State Park on a Lake with electric...sounds like a plan, only 200 plus change miles up the road.....Sleep in, make  breakfast, clean up, hitch up and pull away about 0800 or so.....the Drive was nondescript,  pull into Clayton, just across the border...start heading to the Camp Ground when the Ranger stops me and lets me know its all Booked up...woe is me....Clayton does have a "has been" KOA...so I go there....isn't my idea of an adventure...but its only for the night...its in the 90's and the AC is running continuous...and tomorrow starts a new adventure....where to next???....


(c)2014Horst Kelly photographer

 

Looked at the last post that I did in Live Writer format...not Happy the way the photo's came out...doesn't look like the original, color off, not crisp, etc...anyone else having that problem... and have a fix.


(c)2014Horst Kelly photographer...in Quitaque

Thanks for taking the time to stop by...until next time.....Happy Trails...Horst sends